Dispensers for facial tissues and the like



Se t. 26, 1967 D. M. PEEBLES DISPENSERS FOR FACIAL TISSUES AND THE LIKE Filed March 22, 1966 2 SheetsSheet 1 FIG] INVENTOR.

DAVID MEADE PEEBLES 6- (7%. L

ATTORNEY Sept. 26, 1967 D. M. PEEBLES DISPENSERS FOR FACIAL TISSUES AND THE LIKE Filed March 22, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheep JNVENTOR DAVID MEADE PEEBLES m. a Maui.

HGBA

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,343,716 DISPENSERS FOR FACIAL TISSUES AND THE LIKE David Meade Peebles, 325 Marcy Ave., Oxon Hill, Md. 20021 Filed Mar. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 536,341 4 Claims. (Cl. 221-46) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tissue dispenser having telescoping dispenser body sections which together form a box-like enclosure for a commercial tissue box and upstanding elements within the dispenser body projecting through openings in the tissue box and constantly supporting the tissue box and the contents thereof, and thereby positioning the contents for ready removal at the top of the dispenser.

Conventional commercial tissue boxes are generally provided with some form of dispensing aid or a packaging arrangement for the tissues which is intended to facilitate the removal of each tissue through a top opening or slot in the box. Various well-known arrangements are available. None of these tissue dispensing containers has proved to be entirely satisfactory and the facial tissues of certain manufacturers are diificult to remove from the cardboard box particularly after partial depletion of the supply in the box. The conventional packages are annoying to use and frequently it is almost impossible to obtain a single tissue from the supply without wrinkling and disturbing the remainder of the contents.

Generally, it is the objective of this invention to overcome the above difliculties without increasing the cost of the basic product through the provision of a simplified dispensing aid, to be used in conjunction with any conventional cardboard tissue box from almost any Wellknown manufacturer and requiring only a minor modification of the box which can be accomplished economically during manufacturing. 7

More specifically, the object of the invention is to provide a dispenser which houses the tissue box and utilizes gravity to constantly elevate the tissue supply toward the top of the box and the outlet opening, as the supply is depleted. The box is slightly modified to coact with the dispenser structure and the modification of the box is such that the tissue box may be used with the invention or without it, as desired.

Another object is to provide a dispenser of the abovementioned character which can be inexpensively manu factured and which will enhance the sale and useage of tissues.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective vview of a commercial tissue box, slightly modified to coact with the invention, partly broken away;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the invention and an associated tissue box;

FIGURE 3A is a fragmentary vertical section through the assembled invention and tissue box with substantially a full supply of tissues in the box;

FIGURE 3B is a view similar to FIGURE 3A and showing the invention when the supply of tissues is partly depleted;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the body portion of a modified form of the dispenser for use with a tissue box;

FIGURE 5A is a fragmentary vertical section through the assembled modified form with substantially a full tissue box in place within the dispenser;

FIGURE 5B is a similar view of the invention when the tissue supply in the box has been substantially depleted; and

FIGURES 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views showing further modifications of the-invention.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown preferred embodiments of the invention, attention is directed first to FIGURES 1 through 3B illustrating one preferred form. In these figures, the numeral 10 designates a commercial rectangular cardboard facial tissue box having a supply 11 of facial tissues therein to be dispensed through an opening or slot 12 in' the top of the box 10. The bottom wall 13 of the box 10, as shown in FIGURE 1, is provided near the four corners of the box with preferably circular knock-outs 14 which are easily formed by perforated lines 15 during the manufacturing of the tissue box. If the box 10 is to be used conventionally without the remainder of the invention, the knock-outs 14 are simply allowed to remain in place integral with the bottom wall 13. When used with the invention dispenser, the knock-outs are easily separated from the bottom wall of the box to form relatively large openings 16 through the bottom wall, as shown in the drawings.

The box 10 is also equipped beneath the tissue supply 11 with a relatively stiff cardboard follower plate 17 whose marginal dimensions are somewhat smaller than the marginal dimensions of the box so that the plate 17 will not bind. This follower plate assures even upward fully described.

Referring to FIGURES 2 through 3B, the dispenser includes an open top rectangular box-like body portion 18 having a fiat bottom wall 19 and being formed of plastic, sheet metal, fibreboard, or any other sufiiciently rigid material. Near and inwardly of the four corners of the body portion 18, upright compressible coil springs 20 are suitably fixedly attached to the bottomwall 19, and these springs are in alignment'with and adapted to 'be received by the bottom wall openings 16 of the tissue box 10. The springs 20 may be wire springs or plastic springs and they may be clipped to the bottom wall 19 or attached in any conventional manner. The springs are relatively soft but have sufiicient tension to expand and feed the tissues upwardly in the dispenser during use.

The dispenser further comprises an open bottom rectangular top cover 21 formed of the same material as the body portion 18 and adapted to engage over the body portion telescopically in assembly, as shown in FIGURES 3A and 3B. This top cover is provided with a'slot 2-2 in registry with the slot 12 of the tissue box so that the individual tissues may be withdrawn through the top of the dispenser.

FIGURES 3A and 3B show the assembled relationship of the dispenser parts and tissue box during use. FIGURE 3A illustrates the condition where a substantially full box of tissues is inside of the dispenser and the springs 20 are compressed to receive the full box. The tops of the springs project through the clearance openings 16 and engage the stiff follower plate 17 beneath the tissue supply in the box. The weight of the dispenser top cover 21 may be made sufiicient to prevent the entire tissue box from rising under the influence of the springs or, if preferred and necessary, there may be a friction fit between the cover 21 and body portion 18 or a simple resilient detent, not shown, to maintain the parts in assembled relationship until their release is desired.

FIGURE 3B illustrates the condition of the dispenser when a substantial number of tissues have been dispensed. The springs 20 have expanded and are feeding the follower 17 and the remaining tissue supply upwardly toward the outlet slot 12 and the top cover 21 still prevents the entire box from rising with the springs and maintains the parts in their proper assembled relationship. In this manner, the partially depleted tissue box continues to function like a new box completely filled with tissue, and it is well known that the mentioned difliculties concerning the removal of tissues arises principally when the supply becomes depleted. The in vention facilitates the easy removal of tissues down to the very last one or two in the supply.

The empty box 10 is easily removed from the dispenser and a full box may replace it after the knock-outs 14 are removed.

FIGURES 4 through 53 show a modification of the invention involving the identical tissue box 10 and the identical dispenser top cover 21, which parts need not again be described. .In FIGURE 4, the dispenser body portion 23 is similar to the body portion 18 but the springs 20 are dispensed with and in their places rigid upright post elements 24 are rigidly secured to the bottom wall 25 of the dispenser body portion in proper spaced relation to register with and pass through the openings 16 of the dispenser box 10. FIGURE 4 illustrates the post elements as being integral with the bottom wall 25. As a further slight modification, FIGURES 5A and 5B, the post elements 24 may be rigidly secured at their bottoms to a separately formed plate 26 or false bottom which rests removably on the bottom wall of the dispenser body portion. The advantage of the arrangement in FIGURES 5A and 5B resides in the fact that the dispenser may still be used with conventional tissue boxes which do not have the feature of the knock-outs 14 or openings 16. In such a case, the false bottom 26 with post elements 24 is simply lifted from the dispenser body portion and the same may receive a conventional tissue box for conventional dispensing of tissues. However, this arrangement will not possess the advantages afforded by the invention dispenser utilizing the springs 20 or the post elements 24.

FIGURES 5A and 5B also illustrate the use or operation of the invention with the rigid post elements 24 regardless of whether the same are integral with the bottom wall 25 or carried by the false bottom 26. In either case, the post elements 24 are received by the openings 16 in the bottom of the tissue box and engage the follower plate 17 to feed the tissue supply upwardly against the top wall of the box at all times during the dispensing of the tissue supply. The mode of operation is essentially the same and both forms of the invention utilize gravity in conjunction with a member which engages the follower plate 17 through the openings 16 to constantly feed the tissues upwardly. As shown in FIG- URE 5A, when the solid or rigid post elements 24 are used, the initial assembly of the dispenser is of greater height than when springs are used because the post elements cannot yield. As shown in FIGURE 53, the height of the assembly decreases gradually as the tissues are dispensed from the box. When springs are used, FIG- URES 3A and 3B, the overall height of the assembly remains the same at all times. It is simply a matter of choice and preference as to whether the springs or solid post elements are employed.

FIGURES 6 and 7 of the drawings depict diagrammatically further slight modifications. In FIGURE 6, a tissue box 10 is shown provided in its bottom Wall 13 with a single central large opening 16' instead of the four openings 16 formed by the knock-outs 14 in FIG- URE 1. The arrangement in FIGURE 6 allows the utili- 4 zation of one large diameter spring or solid post element in lieu of the four shown in the other embodiments.

FIGURE 7 shows an arrangement wherein a tissue box 10a is equipped in its 'bottom with a pair of spaced openings 16a, permitting use of a pair of springs or post elements. Obviously, substantially any desired number or arrangement of knock-outs may be provided in the tissue box for this purpose and the invention is not restricted to any particular number or arrangement of openings, springs or post elements. Also, the shape of the openings 16 may be varied. For example, the openings may be rectangular, if preferred, just as long as there is sufiicient clearance for the springs or post elements. Additionally, the shapes of the springs or the solid post elements may be varied under the invention. Either the smaller type springs or the larger single spring may be cylindrical, as shown, or conical tapering upwardly from a largest coil at the bottom to a smallest coil at the top.

It should now be apparent, without further description, that means are provided to assist in the dispensing of tissues from a tissue box throughout the life of the supply in the box. The last tissue in the supply can be removed just as readily as the first tissue and the mentioned problems concerned with removing tissues from conventional boxes has been entirely overcome. The dispeneser means is basically a simple gravity-operated means utilizing the weight of the tissue box and the dispenser cover in opposition to the weight of the tissue supply and follower 17. As the tissues are dispensed from the top of the stack or supply in all forms of the invention, gravity causes the cover 21 and the box 10 to move downwardly while the springs 20 or post elements 24 constantly support the tissue supply and hold it upwardly against the top of the box 10. As stated previously, the purpose of using springs instead of solid post elements is merely to enable the total assembly to maintain a uniform overall height as in FIG- URES 3A and 3B in contrast to the arrangement in FIG- URES 5A and 53 where the overall height varies.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the inven tion or scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A dispenser for facial tissues or the like comprising in combination an interior tissue box containing a stack of tissues to be dispensed and having at least one bottom wall opening, upper and lower vertically telescoping dispenser body sections enclosing the tissue box and together constituting an exterior box-like dispenser body, the lower dispenser body section adapted to rest on a level supporting surface, and at least one upstanding element on the bottom wall of the lower dispenser body section projecting through said opening in the bottom wall of the tissue box, the top of the upstanding element bearing against the bottom of the tissue stack and continually biasing the stack upwardly into contact with the top wall of the tissue box and also maintaining contact between the top walls of the tissue box and upper dispenser body section as the tissue stack is diminished from the top thereof, the top walls of the tissue box and upper dispenser body section having registering slots through which the tissues are withdrawn, the tissue box and tissues being bodily supported within the dispenser body solely by the upstanding element.

2. A dispenser for facial tissues or the like according to claim 1, and a follower plate within the tissue box beneath the tissue stack and engaging the top of the upstanding element.

3. A dispenser for facial tissues or the like according to claim 1, and wherein the upstanding element is resilient so that it may expand upwardly gradually as the tissue stack is diminished from the top, and the combined weights of the stack, tissue box and upper telescoping dispenser References Cited body section being suflicient to prevent separation of said UNITED STATES P NT sections under the force of the resilient upstanding ele- 1,072,859 9/1913 Kingsley 221-46 X menf- 1,362,449 12/1920 Teall 221-45 4. A dispenser for facial tissues or the like according 5 1,490,070 4/1924 Korth 221-47 to claim 3, and wherein a plurality of said resilient up- 1,751,169 3/1930 Parker 221-197 X standing elements are employed in spaced relation and 7 7 4 Br l y 4 X said elements are compressible coil springs, the bottom 2/795353 6/1957 Tutfle 221 46 Wall of the tissue 'box having a corresponding number of 3,221,928 12/1965 Horn 221-56 X 1 clearance openings for sa1d springs. 0 WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DISPENSER FOR FACIAL TISSUES OR THE LIKE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION AN INTERIOR TISSUE BOX CONTAINING A STACK OF TISSUES TO BE DISPENSED AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE BOTTOM WALL OPENING, UPPER AND LOWER VERTICALLY TELESCOPING DISPENSER BODY SECTIONS ENCLOSING THE TISSUE BOX AND TOGETHER CONSTITUTING AN EXTERIOR BOX-LIKE DISPENSER BODY, THE LOWER DISPENSER BODY SECTION ADAPTED TO REST ON A LEVEL SUPPORTING SURFACE, AND AT LEAST ONE UPSTANDING ELEMENT ON THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE LOWER DISPENSER BODY SECTION PROJECTING THROUGH SAID OPENING IN THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE TISSUE BOX, THE TOP OF THE UPSTANDING ELEMENT BEARING AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE TISSUE STACK AND CONTINUALLY BIASING THE STACK UPWARDLY INTO CONTACT WITH THE TOP WALL OF THE TISSUE BOX AND ALSO MAINTAINING CONTACT BETWEEN THE TOP WALLS OF THE TISSUE BOX AND UPPER DISPENSER BODY SECTION AS THE TISSUE STACK IS DIMINISHED FROM THE TOP THEREOF, THE TOP WALLS OF THE TISSUE BOX AND UPPER DISPENSER BODY SECTION HAVING REGISTERING SLOTS THROUGH WHICH THE TISSUES ARE WITHDRAWN, THE TISSUE BOX AND TISSUES BEING BODILY SUPPORTED WITHIN THE DISPENSER BODY SOLELY BY THE UPSTANDING ELEMENT. 